May Events 2017

May Events 2017: Here’s our Top 40 local events for townies, culture-vultures, foodies & road warriors.

Local! John Jay Scholars Lecture: Thomas Jefferson and the Empire of the Imagination, John Jay Homestead – Mon, 5/1: 6:15pm: Annette Gordon-Reed and Peter S. Onuf, two of the country’s leading Jefferson scholars, portray Jefferson as a man who lived with deep contradictions such as his belief in the rights of man and his failure to find a practical end to slavery. (400 Jay St., Katonah; www.johnjayhomestead.org)

Picturing Love, Katonah Museum of Art, Tues-Sun, 3/19: 6/25: This new photography exhibition features fifty works from a range of periods and genres depicting romantic love, friendship and parental love for their child. The photographs take a look back at the history of this subject from early days to contemporary art. (134 Jay St., Rt. 22, Katonah; www.katonahmuseum.org)

Street Smart: Photographs of New York City, 1945-1980, Bruce Museum – Tues-Sun, 2/18-6/4: 10am-5pm. This exhibition features 30 photographs, from the museum’s permanent collection, provides a glimpse of street life in the city during the post-war period. Including works by Larry Fink, Herman Leonard, Leon Levinstein, John Shearer, and Garry Winogrand. (1 Museum Drive, Greenwich, CT;  www.brucemuseum.org)

From the Streets: An Exhibition of Urban Art, ArtsWestchester – Tues-Sat, 4/11-7/15: Anchored by large-scale mural commissions by some of the best-known American urban artists, From the Streets follows graffiti’s stylistic evolution from its genesis as a 1980s youth subculture in the Bronx to its rising prominence in the global art scene. Mixed-media installations, murals and works on canvas highlight the mastery and diverse practices of today’s street artists. (31 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains; www.artswestchester.org)

Wyeth Wonderland – Hudson River Museum – Wed-Sun: 12-5pm through May 14. Inspired by the same Pennsylvania landscapes and people as Andrew Wyeth, French photographer Joséphine Douet pairs her works in a side-by-side homage with 12 of the painter’s drawings and watercolors. Some of the comparisons in this “photographer in a painter’s footsteps” exhibition are direct. Others reflect the aesthetic synergy she draws from his works. Pictured here: Rubber Ivy, 2015. (511 Warburton Rd., Yonkers; www.hrm.org)

Local! Say Yes! Flying Solo After Sixty, Author Talk at Chappaqua Library – Thurs, 5/4: 7pm: What happens when, long-partnered and no longer youthful, we are suddenly left alone and uncoupled?   Pamela Hull discusses her new book about reinventing her life after her husband died of pancreatic cancer. In this intimate narrative of loss, loneliness and bountiful awakenings, Flying Solo After Sixty explores her personal journey to European cities, becoming an author and moving to Manhattan. Ms. Hull’s essays and poems have been published in Lumina, The Bellevue Literary Review and other journals. (195 S. Greeley Ave., Chappaqua; www.chappaqualibrary.org)

PepsiCo Sculpture Gardens Reopen – Sat-Sun: 10am-4pm through 10/31: The Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens at PepsiCo’s World Headquarters in Purchase re-opened on April 1 after being closed to the public for four years. The Gardens features 45 pieces of large-scale outdoor pieces from some of the greatest sculptors of the 20th century. Including Henry Moore and Alexander Calder. Plus over 6,000 trees from 38 species, lawns, a Koi pond, fountains and formal gardens with topiary, hedges and thousands of flowering bulbs.The sculptures surround the seven building complex that were designed by Edward Durrell Stone and built at the time on a 168-acre campus. Read more.

Kykuit Tours, Thurs-Sun, 5/4- 9/30: This hilltop paradise, now a historic site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, was home to four generations of the Rockefeller family. Read our review of the guided tours of the six-story stone house; the terraced gardens with Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller’s collection of 20th-century sculptures; the underground art galleries featuring a collection of Picasso tapestries; and the Coach Barn’s classic automobiles and horse-drawn carriages. Scheduled tours: Thurs-Sun, plus Memorial Day and Labor Day, 5/4-9/30 and 11/2-12. Open daily except Tuesdays from 10/1-31. Check for special tours and times. (381 N. Broadway, Sleepy Hollow: www.hudsonvalley.org)

Lyndhurst Mansion Tours, Tarrytown – Thurs-Mon, 5/4-9/24: 10am-4pm: Take a one-hour guided tour of the historic Lyndhurst mansion overlooking the Hudson River. The Gothic Revival mansion has been used as a movie set for six major motion pictures including House of Dark Shadows (1970), Reversal of Fortune (1990), Cradle Will Rock (1999) and Winter’s Tale (2013). It was built in 1938 by William Paulding, a former NYC Mayor, and purchased by Union Pacific Railroad tycoon Jay Gould in 1880 as a summer home. (635 S. Broadway, Tarrytown; www.lyndhurst.org)

Local! Bedford Village Chowder & Marching Club Clean Up Weekend & Tag Sale – Fri-Sat, 5/5-6: 8:30am-3pm: For over 30 years BVC&MC volunteers gather to cleanup the roads around Bedford. Residents can bring unwanted bulk items on Friday and Saturday to the Bedford Highway Yard on Crusher Rd. Or you can arrange a pick-up for a tax-deductible donation to C&M. Many of these items are resold at their Tag Sale at Crusher Road at Rt. 22 & 172. Click here to schedule a pickup. (www.chowderandmarching.org)

New York Botanical Garden Antique Garden Furniture Fair – Fri-Sun, 5/5-7: 10am-5pm: The country’s most renowned stage for authentic garden antiques and rarities. The Antique Garden Furniture Fair features a collection of ornamental and decorative art, and furniture for the home and garden from more than 30 vendors at NYBG’s Conservatory Tent. (2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx; www.nybg.org)

Local! First Congregational Church of Chappaqua Barn Sale – Fri-Sun, 5/5-7: The Church’s annual barn sale fundraiser offers quality consignment items from Chappaqua households and new merchandise from local merchants including clothes and furniture. The Church accepts donations for the Barn Sale from April 24-30 and items for Public Consignment from May 1-3. Check times. (210 Orchard Ridge Rd., Chappaqua; http://www.fcc-chappaqua.org)

32nd Spring Crafts at Lyndhurst – Fri-Sun, 5/5-7: The Hudson Valley’s most popular craft show returns to Lyndhurst Mansion overlooking the Hudson River. The show includes one-of-a-kind and limited edition jewelry, fashion and accessories, furniture and home decor pieces, functional and sculptural work in ceramics, glass, metal painting, photography, wood and mixed media. There’s a food court, children’s activities, story telling, balloon animals, stilt walkers, music and the Lyndhurst sculpture garden. (635 S. Broadway, Tarrytown; www.lyndhurst.org)

Local! Katonah Spring Clean Up Day & Plant Sale – Katonah Village Library – Sat, 5/6: 9am-2pm: Meet in front of the Katonah library for the Katonah Village Improvement Society’s community clean up at Katonah Memorial Park. Disposable gloves, garbage bags, vests, route maps, refreshments and prizes for the kids are provided. (26 Bedford Rd., Katonah; www.katonahvis.com)

Cool! Long Island Sound Lighthouse Cruises, Maritime Aquarium Norwalk – Sat, 5/6 & 20: 9am or 10am. The Norwalk Aquarium offers two Lighthouse Cruises on their Spirit of the Sound catamaran. The Western cruise departs at 9am and passes lighthouses on a 7-hour cruise including Sands Point and Eaton’s Neck. The Central Cruise departs at 10am and passes five century old beacons on its 5-hour cruise including Sheffield Island. (10 N. Water St., Norwalk; www.maritimeaquarium.org)

Local! Chappaqua Farmer’s Market – Sat 5/6- 10/28: Returns to the Chappaqua Train Station. Sat, 5/6-10/28: 8:30am-1pm. See our Farmer’s Market Guide for more information. (Chappaqua Train Station; www.chappaquafarmersmarket.org)

Bicycle Sundays on the Bronx River Parkway, Sun, 5/7, 14, 21 & 6/4, 11, 18 & 25: 10am-2pm: The Westchester Parks Foundation closes off a six and a half mile stretch of the Bronx River Parkway for the exclusive use of bicyclists, joggers, scooters and strollers. Park your car at the County Center lot and bike to Scarsdale Road in Yonkers. Round trip 13.1 miles. www.friendsofwestchesterparks.com

Local! Tickets on Sale April 1! Celeb Filled Bedford Playhouse Benefit. Sun, 5/7: 5-7pm: Legendary journalist Lesley Stahl (CBS’s 60 Minutes) will interview Sheila Nevins, President HBO Documentary Films, about her new book You Don’t Look Your Age and Other Fairy Tales. There will be cocktails, bites, conversation and readings. Special guests will include Blythe Danner, Liz Smith, Ellen Burstyn and others.  Glen Arbor Golf Club, 234 Bedford Center Rd, Bedford Hills; www.bedfordplayhouse.org)

Academy Award Non-Winners: Manchester By The Sea, Chappaqua Library – Fri, 5/12: 7pm: Film buff Carol Durst’s (of Menus in the Movies fame) new film series brings you the best of the Oscar also-rans with a focus on films that focus on the changing definition of family. In this 2016 Oscar hopeful, Casey Affleck returns to his hometown to care for his teenage nephew after his brother’s death – an unexpected challenge.

International Concerto Winners Concert, Chappaqua Orchestra – Sat, 5/13: 8pm. The top prizewinners from TCO’s Concerto Competition held on March 31 and April 1 at the Music Conservatory of Westchester will perform solo concerti with the orchestra conducted by Michael Shapiro. The concert concludes with Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony from TCO. Wallace Auditorium, 480 Bedford Rd, Chappaqua; www.chappaquaorchestra.org)

Local! 4th Annual Stayin’ Alive 5K & Fun Run and Walk, Armonk – Sat. 5/13: 8am: The run starts at The Windmill Club and continues through Windmill’s woodsy community. Stayin’ Alive raised over $36,000 for needed equipment for North Castle’s First Responders last year. Fun Run at 10am. (The Windmill Club, 10 Maple Way, Armonk; www.stayinalive.org)

Mother’s Day Weekend Plant Sale, Teatown Lake Reservation – Sat, 5/13: 9am-2pm: With over a dozen vendors, music and food, it’s a plant sale with “farmer’s market appeal”. Shop for rare varieties of annuals, perennials, butterfly attractors, herbs, deer-resistant flowers, vegetables, hanging baskets and Mother’s Day gifts. (1600 Spring Valley Rd., Ossining; www.teatown.org)

Lyndhurst Mansion Day Plant Sale – Sat, 5/13: 10am-2pm: Buy your Mother’s Day plants overlooking the Hudson. Here you can buy prized annuals and perennials suitable for sun or shade from the Lyndhurst Garden Club that are cultivated right on the Lyndhurst grounds. Just like the Gould’s use to do it. Plus alpines and troughs from The Hudson Valley Rock Garden Society and organic vegetable seedlings from Mobius Fields. (635 Broadway, Tarrytown; www.lyndhurst.org)

Mother’s Day Weekend Garden Party at NYBG – Sat-Sun, 5/13-14: NYBG’s spring landscape is the setting for live music, games, garden tours, picnicking and other dining options. After a significant restoration and expansion, the historic Lilac Collection reopens, making room for more Garden spots to play and relax. Featuring croquet, beanbag, lawn games, face painting, giant chess, chalk drawing and a family photographer. (2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx; www.nybg.org)

Nisa Lee’s Mother’s Day Brunch, Hammond Museum & Japanese Stroll Garden, Sun, 5/14: 11:30am & 2pm: She’s cooked for Hillary Clinton, Sir Paul McCartney, Justin Bieber and Chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Here Nisa Lee prepares a special Mother’s Day Brunch of Garden Vegetable Frittata, Carribbean Chicken Mango Salsa, Grilled Spring Vegetables Quinoa Kale Pesto, Dark Chocolate Ganache Singles and Lemon Tartlet. After brunch enjoy the natural ambience of the Hammond’s Japanese Stroll Garden. (28 Deveau Road, North Salem; www.hammondmuseum.org)

Mother’s Day Brunch Cruise, Pride of the Hudson, Newburg  – Sun, 5/14: 12pm: Take a 2-hour narrated sightseeing cruise on the Hudson and enjoy a buffet lunch see Bannerman’s Island, Cold Spring, Storm King Mountain, Breakneck Mountain, and West Point. (Blu Pointe Landing, Newburg; www.prideofthehudson.com)

Local! Armonk Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Golf Outing & Dinner – Tues, 5/16: 11:30am: The Armonk Chamber of Commerce honors long-time member, drving force behind Armonk’s Frosty Day celebration and owner of College Advice Ed Woodyard at this annual Golf Outing at the Whippoorwill Club. With lunch, dinner and cocktails. New this year – enter the Shoot For A Million Dollars Hole in One Contest. (Whippoorwill Club, 150 Whippoorwill Rd., Armonk; www.armonckchamberofcommerce.com)

Local! DeCicco & Sons, Armonk – Tues, 5/16: 5:30pm. Chef Steve Miceli teaches the techniques he uses to make a chilled avocado and sherry soup; stuffed chicken breast Florentine with spinach, ricotta, and mozzarella and the “spiralizing” technique of turning vegetables into “spaghetti” to make a perfect salad. As a special treat, there will be an education on pairing specialty craft beers with each course presented by Brendon O’Brien, their in-house craft beer and bar manager. (17 Maple Avenue, Armonk (Demonstration Kitchen-2nd floor)
 914-499-1100,  Register here.)

Local! Refined by Design, Talk, House Tour & Lunch, Bedford Historical Society – Thurs, 5/18: This new event from the Bedford Historical Society kicks off with a lunch and talk from TV personality Thom Filicia and Veranda Magazine’s Editor in Chief Clinton Smith. Followed by an all-new Spring House tour. (612 Old Post Rd., Bedford; www.bedfordhistoricalsociety.org)

Local! Castles of New Castle, New Castle Historical Society House Tour – Thurs, 5/18: 9:30am- 2:30pm: The NCHS’s Castles of New Castle house tour showcases five homes in different architectural styles. The House Tour is one of NCHS’s largest fundraisers of the year and all proceeds will go to fund their educational programs and to maintain the Greeley House historical building. Check their website for more info. (100 King St., Chappaqua; www.newcastlehs.org) 

Local! Armonk Chamber’s Third Thursdays – Thurs, 5/18: 5-8:30pm: The Armonk Chamber of Commerce’s Third Thursday Celebrations kick off with this High School Chalk Art Competition in Armonk Square. With live music, art showings and town-wide promotions from retailers and restaurants. These Chamber celebrations continue the third Thursday of each month through August and include a chili cook-off, an antique car show and a festival of street performers. (www.armonkchamberofcommerce.com)

Hudson Chorale’s GIANT TAG SALE, Pleasantville – Fri-Sat, 5/19-20: 9am-4pm: Support the arts, save the planet and turn closets into concerts at the Hudson Chorale’s annual giant tag sale. WARNING! This is not your typical neighborhood tag sale of used toys and kids clothing. You’ll find used and new antique furniture, collectibles, jewelry, appliances, housewares, CD’s, DVD’s, books, toys, sports equipment, good used clothing and accessories, bed & bath & decorative art. (107 Bedford Road, Pleasantville (corner of Manville Rd/Route 117)

ArtsWestchester ArtsBash, ArtsWestchester Gallery – Fri, 5/19: 6pm: Bend an elbow at their cocktail party and sample tastings from 20+ Westchester restaurants including Mt. Kisco’s Cafe of Love and Chappaqua’s Crabtree’s Kittle House. Then check out the From the Streets: Urban Art Exhibit at this ArtsWestchester annual party. (31 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains; www.artsw.org/artsbash)

26th Annual Friends of Lasdon Park Plant Sale & Garden Show – Sat, 5/20: 9am-4pm & Sun, 5/21: 9am- 3:30pm: Lasdon Park’s Plant Sale offers a selection of unique annuals, shrubs, vegetables and perennials in a 2-day celebration that includes music and refreshments. Plus, special Lasdon-grown annuals such as Salpiglossis Red Bicolor, Mimulus Twinkle Yellow and Ricinus New Zealand Purple. (2610 Rt. 35, Katonah; www.lasdonpark.org)

Local! New Castle 5k & 10K Road Race & Fun Run – Sun, 5/21: 8am: This challenging course takes you from Town Hall through some of the most scenic landscapes in Chappaqua. Runners get a police escort, water stations and a sag wagon. There are awards in 8 age categories. Check in begins at 7am. Or pre-register with New Castle Recreation. (Town Hall, 200 S. Greeley Ave., Chappaqua; www.mynewcastle.org)

Electric Car Show, Teatown Lake Reservation – Sun, 5/21: 2-5pm: Is an electric car right for you? Check out popular electric car models (Nissan Leaf, Tesla Model S, Chevy Volt, and plug0in Prius) and a panel discussion with electric car owners about their experiences – with Q &A. (1600 Spring Valley Rd., Ossining; www.teatown.org)

Local! Northwell Health Walk at Westchester, FDR Park, Yorktown Heights – Sun, 5/21: 10am: Walk to benefit the Bruce and Andrea Yablon Cancer Health and Wellness Program for Northwell Health’s Northern Westchester Hospital. Plus, a series of pre-walk events will also raise funds for the Cancer program including Yoga, Spin and Zumba Day at the Saw Mill Club (4/2), Happy Hour at Village Social (4/5), a Rock n Jump trampoline outing (4/19), Bake Sale (4/14) and Sip & Shop at J McLaughlin in Bedford (5/11). Read more.

Country Children’s Center Golf Outing, Centennial Golf Center, Carmel – Mon, 5/22: 11am: Featuring a round of golf, dinner, a silent auction, door prizes, raffles and a complimentary beverage cart. This event supports the Country Children’s Center in Katonah that makes childcare available to work parents and those who cannot afford the service for children ages 6 weeks through middle school. (185 John Simpson Rd., Carmel; www.countrychildrenscenter.org)

Lime Rock Park Memorial Day Season Opener, Pirelli World Challenge & Royals Car Show, – Fri-Sun, 5/26-28: The Pirelli World Challenge series serves up races from all 7 car classes from the Big Dogs (Cadillacs, Bentley’s, Lamborghinis & Porches) to the TC class of Mustangs and BMW 228is, and the smallest class of Chevy Sonics and Mazda 2s. On Sunday, the Royals Car Show draws 200-400 prime vehicles from rare sports cars to muscle cars from the 60s and 70s. You can even in their campground and spend the weekend. (60 White Hollow Rd., Lakeville CT: www.limerock.com)

Hilltop Hanover Farm Farm Fest – DATE CHANGE TO SAT JUNE 3: 10am-4pm: A family day at Hilltop Hanover celebrating farming in Westchester. With plants for sale, a farm stand, vendors, kids events, tours, hiking, food, and more! (1271 Hanover St., Yorktown Heights; www.hilltophanoverfarm.org)

Local! Bedford Memorial Day Picnic, Katonah – Mon, 5/29: 11am-2pm: The local American Legion Post 1575 will host a Memorial Day picnic at American Legion Hall next to the Katonah Museum of Art. All town residents are invited. (American Legion Hall, 136 Jay St. Katonah; www.bedfordny.gov)

Local! Bedford Riding Lanes Association Memorial Day Country Pace & Luncheon, Mon, 5/29. 7am-2pm: Admission to the grounds is free for BRLA’s Spring pace that starts and ends at John Jay Homestead. For information on the luncheon call (914) 234-BRLA. (www.bedfordridinglanes.com)

Coming in June…

Local! John Jay Homestead Farm Market: Opens on Sat, 6/10 and runs each Saturday through 10/28: 9am-1pm. See our Farmers Market Guide for more information. (John Jay Homestead, 400 Jay St., Katonah; www.johnjayhomestead.org)

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